HURIWA says police siege to government house unconstitutional

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose on the ground after allegedly being tear-gassed by security operatives in Ado Ekiti…yesterday.

A pro-democracy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the reported siege on Ekiti Government House by armed police operatives.

HURIWA said this in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf.

They decried the alleged attack of the governor, Ayodele Fayose and his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, who is also the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

HURIWA also condemned as unconstitutional, the reported invasion and disruption of rally at Olusola’s campaign office by armed police operatives.

The group expressed consternation that men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force beginning from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, have become the armed wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

HURIWA cautioned the armed security forces to respect the rule of law and abide by the statutory demands of their duties to the people of Ekiti State.

It implored them to halt any further attempts to employ intimidation, harassment and psychological torture, in an attempt to scuttle free, fair, transparent and peaceful conduct of the poll.

The group described the physical attacks on the persons of the governor and his deputy by the as an ‘assassination attempt.’

The group called for a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate this grave crime, and bring the perpetrators and their political sponsors to book.

The statement said its members in Ado-Ekiti, alerted it the show of force in an election “in which the presidency has openly declared its determination to win by all means.”

HURIWA absolutely condemned this primitive resort to self-help by the presidency that has decided to unleash brute force on the people to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the APC.

He said the attempt would deny the electorate their constitutional right to elect a governor, who would promote and protect their general interests.

Citing section 39 (1) and 40 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HURIWA said it was unlawful and unconstitutional for armed police to invade the Government House on the instruction of the inspector general of police.

“The police which is a creation of a statute is not above the law,” they said.

Meanwhile, governance has reportedly been grounded in Kebbi State, following the appointment of Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu as the Chairman of the governorship election.

The Guardian leant that the some commissioners, and other top government officials accompanied the governor to Ekiti.

A stakeholder, Yahaya Dan Shehu, expressed dismay over the absence of government officials.